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It was 40 years ago this week that America first officially stood to remember and celebrate the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. on a day to honor him.<\/p>\n
On that first Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in the city where King was born, Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks took to the court as part of the celebration – and it’s a day the Hall of Famer will never forget.<\/p>\n
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“Being in Atlanta and having that first game for MLK, I don’t think people understand how big it was and how blessed we were to play in the first game on his birthday,” Wilkins told NBC Sports, reflecting on the game where he dropped 33 points on the Bucks in a win over the Hawks.<\/p>\n
Two years later on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Human Highlight Reel lived up to his nickname dropping 45 points on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n
“It’s a great night. From where Martin Luther King was born, how you wanted to represent and have a great night, just to celebrate what he did for all of us,” Wilkins said. “That was it, that was out there.”<\/p>\n
When basketball is at its best, it connects people – the players on the court, the fans and their team, even entire cities. Martin Luther King Jr. he understood that power of communication – and he loved to play the game. He was famous for going on the field with guys and playing pick-up as a way to connect with them on a level to open the door to talking about things bigger than basketball. (You can read more about that in an upcoming Hulu documentary called Hoops, Hopes & Dreams<\/span>.)<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The NBA also understands the power of communication, which is why for 40 years the league has celebrated Martin Luther King Day with a slideshow of its best players and teams. This year, those shows are on NBC again Peacock<\/span> all day Monday, from the King’s own birthplace – Atlanta. The four games are:<\/p>\n \u2022 Milwaukee at Atlanta, 1 p.m. ET (Peacock, NBCSN) Players will wear special Martin Luther King Jr. T-shirts. Day during the warm-up. As part of the broadcast on NBC and Peacock<\/span>Donovan Mitchell will talk about the impact of Dr. King in Cleveland. Then Karl-Anthony Towns will do the same for New York and Isaiah Stewart for Detroit.<\/p>\n Those players understand Dr. King’s dedication and impact. However, Wilkins worries that we are losing some of that understanding over time. For the younger generation of players, many know that playing on MLK Day is a big stage – one of the biggest days in the NBA calendar – but Wilkins added that those players grew up in a better United States because of the changes brought by Dr. King. Because of those changes, they may not fully understand his sacrifices.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “I don’t know if they do, to be honest with you,” Wilkins said. “Most of the young people don’t know or understand the importance and the sacrifices he made for all of us. I don’t think they really see it. I think they have achieved a certain kind of life, and they don’t see the struggle that people before them went through to give us a standard of living…<\/p>\n “The sacrifice he made for us… man, to give his life to ensure that everyone has a quality of life. I don’t think these boys or young people today understand that sacrifice.”<\/p>\n Wilkins understood, because he grew up in a very different time and in many ways in a different country. He is old enough to remember Dr. King being assassinated. And when 18-year-old Wilkins, who grew up in North Carolina, announced he would play his college football in Georgia, he said he received death threats and his family had a cross burned on their lawn. Wilkins personally witnessed the changes Dr. King did not help to bring them.<\/p>\n Players who spend time with the Hawks organization in Atlanta gain insight \u2014 and not only that Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park & \u200b\u200bPreservation District<\/span>but in the way his presence is still felt throughout the city.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “I think with the guys playing Atlanta, they get a chance to see it every time,” Wilkins said. “And so it’s right there in front of them. I won’t say you have to force yourself to understand it and see it, but it’s there, where you’re going to be a part of it – whether you like it or not – because it’s right there in your face.”<\/p>\n Wilkins, a Hall of Fame player for the Hawks who has been the Vice President of Basketball and broadcast color analyst since 2004, maintains a personal connection with the King family.<\/p>\n “I’ve been family friends for a long time,” Wilkins said. “Martin [Luther King III]his oldest son, Dexter King, preceded him in death. And my sister. I’ve been close to the family, so it was surreal to be with the family and hear the stories and what they’ve been through. Man, this is priceless.”<\/p>\n Is King’s family full of basketball fans?<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “Oh yeah,” Wilkins said. “However, to this day, Martin King and I, we still talk to each other to this day.”<\/p>\n The King family will be at the center of celebrations and commemorations across the nation that day – and that will include a little basketball in Atlanta.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It was 40 years ago this week that America first officially stood to remember and celebrate the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. on a day to honor him. 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\u2022 Oklahoma City at Cleveland, 2:30 pm ET (NBC, Peacock)
\u2022 Dallas at New York, 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)
\u2022 Boston at Detroit, 8 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)<\/p>\n